


Being Praxian

by wicked3659



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Double Penetration, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Loss of Limbs, M/M, Oral Sex, Psychological Trauma, Sticky Sex, Twincest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-05
Updated: 2013-08-05
Packaged: 2017-12-22 12:21:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/913154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wicked3659/pseuds/wicked3659
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prowl is injured in battle and the twins step in to offer a hand or two during the healing process.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Praxian by Design

**Author's Note:**

> Response to a request on transformers kink meme http://tfanonkink.livejournal.com/11776.html?thread=13303552#t13303552

The battle was raging, the scorching heat from plasma rifles burned the air. Rock shattered around them as the seekers swooped low for another attack. In the middle of the carnage, Prowl ran through the shower of  shrapnel and rock to cover the medics dragging a downed bot out of the line of fire. Ducking behind cover he got off a few shots with his sniper rifle, managing to knock skywarp out of the sky. Barking orders into his comm. he pressed forward with the help of a couple of others. The valley was narrow steep. He spied the twins up on the rocky ledge ready to jump. The seekers came at them once more and the autobots opened fire. They got out of the way as the twins leapt into the air. The seekers' shrieks of rage and frustration filled the air. Prowl turned to overlook the rest of the battle field when suddenly the whole valley behind him seemed to explode. Thrown forwards, landing heavily, Prowl's audio was ringing, everything moved slower as he pushed himself up. He felt sick, the force of the explosion had hit him hard, his back felt cold and hot as though it had been dipped in hot oil and exposed to air. He saw blurry shapes of bots running towards him, some were yelling, he couldn't make out what they were saying. On his knees, he saw the seeker Skywarp to one side, smirking down at him, null ray pointed at his helm. He was dead. That's when he caught sight of his right doorwing what was left of it and every single sense came rushing back to him at once in a torrent of sensation. The seeker was knocked back as a golden blur slammed into him. Prowl didn't register anything more and the battle field filled with his screams of agony. 

 

****  

 

Ratchet raced across the battle field dodging stray enemy fire as the decepticons retreated. He heard the screams before he saw the damage. Skidding around a rocky out crop, he rushed towards the black and white figure, writhing and screaming in excruciating pain as a stricken Sideswipe tried to hold him still, stop him from causing more damage to himself in his disorientated state. Ratchet knelt beside them and quickly administered a sedative. His intakes hitched as Prowl fell forward in Sideswipe's grasp, revealing his ruined back. "Holy primus," he breathed in shock. 

 

Carefully shielding Prowl from the dying battle with Trailbreaker's shield, Ratchet with Sideswipe's help carefully manoeuvred Prowl onto a grav sled. "You can let go now," Ratchet placed a hand on Sideswipe's and nodded reassuringly, "I got him." 

 

Sideswipe stepped back and felt his brother's arm curl around him as they watched Ratchet and Trailbreaker take Prowl back to the Ark. "I've never heard anyone scream like that before," he whispered, staring after them. 

 

"I have," Sunstreaker replied gravely, "but only in the gladiator pits." 

 

Sideswipe glanced at his brother as he trailed off. "You think he'll be alright?" 

 

"I don't know, Sides', I really don't know." 

 

The battle ended as they always did and the autobots trudged back to their base. War torn and weary. They had had a few injuries but all of them had heard of the one critical injury. All of them had known as soon as the orders that kept them alive had stopped coming. 

 

**** 

 

Sitting in the rec room a few days later the mood was somber. Nobody felt like celebrating their victory much. Especially as some had heard screaming coming from the medbay. Ratchet hadn't been seen since the battle nor had wheeljack and Smokescreen and Bluestreak had been the only two allowed in the medbay. All other injuries were being treated by First Aid in Perceptor's lab. 

 

The twins looked up as the two Praxians entered the rec room. Sharing a look they quickly shifted to their table when the mechs sat down. Handing them both an energon cube, Sideswipe as ever was the first to break the silence. "How is he?" 

 

Smokescreen frowned. "This isn't the time for any of your jokes, Sides'," he answered grimly. 

 

 

"Frag you," Sunstreaker retorted in annoyance. "We were there when he got hit. We saw how bad it was, we're not glitched," 

 

Bluestreak placed a hand on Smokescreen's arm and shook his helm. "We're sorry, we don't mean to imply you didn't care just that you do try to alleviate tension by making jokes--" 

 

"--yeah and everyone knows Prowl isn't the top of your favourites list, " Smokescreen interrupted with a scowl, "this isn't going to be an opportunity for one of your pranks," he glared at the twins who glared right back. 

 

Sunstreaker audibly growled. "Now let me tell you something you jumped up--" 

 

"--please don't fight," Bluestreak pleaded earnestly, "fact is we don't know how he is... we've never seen injuries so severe on a Praxian," he lowered his gaze to the table. 

 

"It's his doorwings right?" Sideswipe asked, prompting surprised looks from the two Praxians. 

 

"Yes, how did you know?" Bluestreak asked with bright optics brimming with emotion. 

 

"Sides' was the one fraggin' holding him trying to stop him tearing chunks out of his back when it happened," Sunstreaker replied hotly, still on edge. 

 

Sideswipe nodded his expression clouded. "He was screaming for the most part but he tried to speak to me, kept saying something about his doorwings but he wasn't making sense... fragger even begged me to offline him..." Sideswipe choked over his words and tore his gaze away from the table, glaring off into space. "Primus..." He muttered, "never seen that before and from Prowl...." He looked back at Bluestreak. "Tell me he's going to be alright." 

 

"I...I can't," Bluestreak shook his helm looking about ready to burst into tears were he capable of such a human act. "Any damage to a Praxian's doorwings is traumatic. Even if there's no pain just the psychological impact, the loss of them can drive a mech insane they're such an integral part of our being like it is for you to walk and speak, we feel, sense things through our doorwings. The neural circuitry there rivals that of our processors..." His voice broke into static. 

 

Smokescreen curled an arm around the younger mech his mouth down turned.  "Ratchet is trying to rebuild them and most of his back but the circuitry is so complex... most of the science of doorwings was lost with Praxus and Prowl's were more sensitive than ours, he was always stubborn like that, wanted every advantage, refused to get the sensors switched off," Smokescreen sighed and looked at the twins. "Long story short, we don't know, he's in pain whenever they wake him to ask questions which is why they needed us but," he shrugged, "he might never recover, the shock alone...." 

 

Smokescreen didn't need to finish, the twins got the implication and the four mechs sat in silence as they contemplated the possibility of the Ark without Prowl. For the twins it was simply not something they could conceive. Prowl was an immovable object in their lives. He was the epitome of stability which they had sorely needed when they had joined the autobots. Contrary to popular opinion, they respected Prowl a lot. They enjoyed pranking him because he was a challenge and they had gotten the distinct impression that Prowl didn't mind the breaks to his routines so much. It always allowed him to flex the enforcer inside of him and the twins enjoyed the thrill of the chase. They honestly couldn't imagine Prowl not being there. The dread at that thought ran through their sparks like a sliver of ice. 

 

**** 

 

"You sure we should be doing this?" Sunstreaker hissed as Sideswipe slipped through the vent to drop down into the medbay. 

 

"Ratchet left, he hasn't since it happened and I gotta know, Sunny, don't you?" 

 

Sunstreaker met his brother's optics and knew what the answer to that question. Sighing he dropped down into the dimly lit medbay. He pointed over to the private wards at the back and quietly they made their way over. The door to the first was ajar and the sound of beeping monitoring equipment drew their attention. "Primus..." 

 

Sideswipe stared at his brother in surprise at his soft curse but then caught sight of what he was looking at and stopped dead in his tracks. 

 

Prowl was lying on his front on the only berth in the room, the entire berth was surrounded by a transparent protective sheet. The beeps from the equipment were placed outside the surround and the scene that kept them staring was Prowl's back. It had been stripped of armour right down to the circuitry beneath the  protoform and there were no doorwings to speak of. 

 

Sideswipe moved closer and raised a hand to touch the perspex surround. "I never realised how small he is..." He commented, his tone tinged with emotion Sunstreaker couldn't place. 

 

Sunstreaker came to a stop beside him and was quiet for a few long moments. "It's the doorwings I guess," he frowned at the surround which was keeping Prowl cocooned from the rest of the room. "What the slag is this?" He grumbled, how could they offer comfort, support through plastic? 

 

"It's to prevent his sensor net from shutting down," another voice spoke up from behind them. 

 

The twins froze and stole furtive glances before turning around slowly. "Ratchet... We weren't doing anything, we just...." 

 

"I know what you were just and it's alright. He'll be waking up soon, he'll probably appreciate the company," Ratchet stepped into the room and sighed. "His doorwings need to be rebuilt, Wheeljack has to go to Cybertron with Perceptor in order to find specifications and spare parts. He'll be in here until they're fixed. It's sound proof and prevents too much air movement or temperature changes. His sensors are still intact and without his doorwings regulating the data, his sensor net will literally fry." 

 

"I didn't realise how important doorwings were," Sideswipe answered with a frown. 

 

"None of us did, even Smokescreen and Bluestreak have less intricate sensors in theirs. They had most removed, Prowl didn't," Ratchet sounded weary and resigned, "last time I let the stubborn fragger skip his maintenance routines," he added, sounding more like his old self. 

 

"Can we stay? Sunstreaker asked quietly his tone almost a demand. 

Ratchet glanced at them, hesitant before giving them a curt nod, "for a while and only because I think he'll need the distraction. You can help me keep everyone but Optimus and Jazz out, too much stimulus will stress his systems," he explained with a concerned frown focused on the prone tactician. 

Sideswipe gave him a reassuring smile, "we'll take care of it," he stated assuredly. 

"Hmm, you add to his stress though and I'll reformat you both myself, clear?" 

Both twins nodded and only relaxed a fraction when Ratchet reluctantly left them alone. The mech was obviously in need of some rest if he was allowing them to stay. Turning back to Prowl, Sideswipe pulled a face, "if this slag is soundproof how are we supposed to talk to him when he wakes?" 

Sunstreaker opened his mouth to reply when his attention suddenly snapped back to Prowl. His optics brightened in surprise when he found Prowl watching them with dimly lit optics. 

"Sunny what is it?" Sideswipe followed his gaze and faltered, "oh..."

Accepting the comm ping, Sunstreaker gave Prowl a faint smile, "you look like slag," he started off, ignoring the nudge from his brother. Sending a ping to Sideswipe he opened up a three way communique between them. 

"That is an apt description," Prowl managed a weak smile of bemusement, his voice sounding tired and pained over the comm. "To what do I owe this honour?" He continued lightly, his optics looking between the twins. 

"Nobody to prank when you're laid up in here," Sideswipe shrugged with a lop sided grin, "nobody worth pranking anyway, so we were bored, wondered if you wanted to come out and play," he quipped, making light of the situation in a way only Sideswipe could. He smiled when Prowl actually chuckled in response. Clearly the mech was doped up on pain reliever. 

"I'm flattered," Prowl mused, "I'm afraid I'll have to pass on your invitation this time," he shifted slightly on the berth only to wince painfully as a result. 

"Seriously though?" Sunstreaker began with a worried frown, unsure of what to say next, he'd never been one for showing his feelings, his concern for others.

"How are you doing?" Sideswipe finished, giving his brother's hand a squeeze. 

Prowl looked at them for a long quiet moment in his surprise at their concern, although he didn't show it. "All things considered, I could be worse," he replied with a sigh. 

Sunstreaker snorted ungainly and gestured to the plastic sheeting, "not by much if you ask me."

"Yeah everyone is worried about you," Sideswipe added a little more softly," he gave him a wry grin, "place is louder and less coordinated without you." 

Prowl met his grin with a grateful smile before it faded, replaced by a slight frown. "The battle?"

Sunstreaker raised a hand to stop him before he could ask anymore questions, "we took a few hits, you were the worst injury we suffered," he reassured, well aware that Prowl's first port of call after any battle was to visit the medbay, assess and reassure the wounded. He used to think that Prowl did it to update his tactical information on battle ready fighters but after a heated discussion in the medbay with the mech when he was recipient of just such a visit, he had realised that it was so much more than that. Prowl even visited those who had been offlined and there was nothing tactical he could gain from that. Being one of the mechs who were frequently injured in battle, Sunstreaker had come to appreciate Prowl's visits and display of concern as had Sideswipe, it reminded them that despite his outward demeanour, Prowl did indeed care deeply about each and every one of them. 

"Sent the cons packing with their tail between their legs," Sideswipe continued, earning a confused look from the Praxian. 

"Packing... tail?"

Sunstreaker ducked his helm in amusement, "earth slang, he's been watching too much television," he grinned at his brother who remained unfazed by the mild dig and just shrugged. 

"Keeps me out of trouble and I know how you love that," Sideswipe smirked at Prowl who nodded slightly in response. 

"The base is certainly quieter when you are occupied, though it often leaves me suspicious."

Sideswipe laughed, "we like to keep you on your toes, mech."

Glancing at his brother with a smirk, Sunstreaker looked back at Prowl with sudden concern as his intakes hitched and he clutched at the berth in obvious pain. "Prowl...?"

After a few worrying moments, Prowl finally looked back in their direction, looking more fatigued than they'd ever seen him, "I'm alright, just phantom doorwing signals," he explained quietly. 

Sunstreaker pulled a face, frustrated that they couldn't help in any way. "Do you need us to get you anything, do anything?" He asked, unsure of what else he could do. 

Prowl shook his helm and gently rested it back on his arms, folded on the berth. "I'm very tired..." He murmured, giving them a wan smile, "Thankyou though, for visiting me, it is much appreciated."

"You'd do the same for us," Sideswipe pointed out, "we'll let you rest, we can come back though..." He added hesitantly, sharing a glance with his brother. 

"Yeah, if you want us to that is..." Sunstreaker sounded as equally unsure as Sideswipe. 

Prowl gave them a weak smile, "your distractions are always welcome," he mumbled, a combination of pain relievers and an over worked self repair system dragging him into recharge as he spoke. 

The twins shared a smile at Prowl's reply and resolved to be as distracting as possible for him, glad that they could do something to help.

****

For the next few weeks the twins made sure at least one of them visited Prowl in their down time, every day. Prowl tactfully didn't comment on the fact but quietly looked forward to their visits. He hated being cooped up anywhere but to be completely isolated as he was from sound and movement he knew he would have gone stir crazy without the twins' distracting company. Pain killers in this situation could also only do so much and shortly after he awoke he had more bad days than good days. 

On the bad days the twins, whichever one was visiting, sometimes both, would just sit beside the plastic surround and talk at him about the trivial goings on in the base. They didn't dwell on his injuries or ask him constantly if he was alright they brushed past it with all the bluntness the twins were renowned for and changed the topic, for which Prowl was grateful. He hated feeling and appearing weak, feeling like a burden, a failure and of all mechs on base, the twins understood those feelings. 

 "So I said to Trailbreaker he was completely over his head with this one but they insisted. Smokes' took the bets from everyone and I bet you can guess what happened next," Sideswipe grinned at Prowl who tilted his helm slightly at the attempt of suspense. 

"Oh you actually want me to guess?" He replied simply. 

Sideswipe pulled a face, "Prowl you're killing me, at least pretend like you're interested in the story," he laughed. 

"My apologies, I guess they lost?"

"You're fraggin' right they lost!" Sideswipe crowed, "fancy challenging Sunny to an arm wrestling contest!" 

"The need you all have to copy particular human sports escapes me, and you know gambling is against regulation," Prowl mused his gaze betraying his amusement at Sideswipe's subsequent pout.

"You're completely missing the point, Prowl!"

"Evidently," Prowl replied dryly with a smile. 

Sideswipe returned it with a shake of his helm and a smirk, "alright then what do you want to talk about?" He folded his arms expectantly as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yesterday, I never got a chance to thank you," Prowl answered. 

"For what?"

"For being here, I was not the best of company," Prowl continued somewhat sheepishly. 

Sideswipe frowned a little, "you were in bad shape, you're allowed to have off days, Prowl, not going to leave just because you get a little pissy with me," he threw Prowl a lop sided grin and half a shrug, "I'm kinda used to you being pissy with me anyway it's no big deal, stop worrying."

"I just wanted you to know that I was grateful for your company," Prowl finished mildly embarrassed. 

Sideswipe smirked, "not going soft on me are you, copbot?" He teased gently, enjoying the pointed look and raised optic ridge. 

"Don't push your luck," Prowl retorted good-naturedly.

Sideswipe laughed and resumed filling Prowl in on the current drama on base. Being one of the most popular mechs on base, Sideswipe knew the ins and outs of most of the dramas, the fights and the blossoming romances going on in the Ark. His social knowledge rivalled even that of Jazz's and Prowl was finding himself surprisingly interested the more he heard. It had gotten to the point over the last few weeks where he had even asked for an update, much to Sideswipe's delight as Sunstreaker tended not to care for small talk and gossip. 

When Sunstreaker visited, Prowl got to hear of wider goings on around the Ark. He learned that Sunstreaker had an audio for the more cultural pursuits that mechs were interested or involved in. He was also quite aware of political and social news of the humans, which had surprised him. He hadn't regarded Sunstreaker as that type of mech given his open disdain for the humans as a whole -something to do with not keeping their grubby paws off his paintwork - but he was very glad as he too liked to keep appraised of the current affairs of the planet they now called home. 

The golden frontliner had also indulged Prowl in a few games of chess but only in return for teaching him a human card game called poker, with the proviso that Prowl take part in one of their weekly games when he was up and about again. Prowl had reluctantly agreed and they'd spent many enjoyable hours playing and discussing strategies and tactics of said games. 

Then the day came that Prowl was to have his new doorwings fitted. The twins both came to see him before he had to be put into stasis and neither mech could deny having mixed feelings about it. 

"Ratchet assures me that the reattachment is routine but the aftermath and relearning how to use them will be the biggest hurdle," Prowl explained in response to the twins' vocal concerns. "It is nothing I didn't go through as a sparkling, I'm sure it'll be fine."

Sunstreaker scowled, "yeah I guess so, just hearing a lot of ifs and buts that I don't like, what if you go into shock when you come out of it, what if your body rejects them, hm? What then?"

"Sunny," Sideswipe admonished quietly, curling his fingers about his wrist, "cool your jets, mech, supposed to be reassuring him remember?" 

Prowl smiled faintly at them, "your concern is touching, but we have to try, I can't stay in this plastic cocoon indefinitely," he replied evenly, making sure to hide his own apprehension at the looming procedure. "Ratchet knows what he's doing, besides at least you get your lives back?" he offered them a wan smile that neither twin returned. 

"Just so you know," Sideswipe glanced at Sunstreaker who nodded curtly for him to continue, "we've come to enjoy our lives more over the last few weeks so if it's all the same to you, we've asked the doc to let us know when he's done, as soon as. We'll be here when you wake up."

"Make sure you do," Sunstreaker added tersely a frown deeply etched into his faceplates as his worry bubbled beneath the surface.

 Neither of them had really known what to do with themselves the time they hadn't been allowed to visit Prowl. He'd been going through an especially bad bout of phantom signals and pain as well as emotional backlash from the initial trauma and Ratchet had put him into light stasis for a few days just so he could rest without suffering memory purges and interrupted recharge. The twins had both realised then that Prowl had become a more integral part of their everyday lives and had decided they didn't want to lose that when he recovered. 

Prowl didn't really know what to say at the twins' demonstration of protectiveness towards him and their almost affection. He was moved and befuddled, though he too had come to enjoy their company on a much deeper level. They had really helped him through the last month or so and he was exceedingly grateful but unsure of how to express what exactly it was he was feeling. "I shall do my utmost," he replied quietly, turning his helm as Ratchet appeared in the doorway. 

"It's time."

Prowl nodded and looked back at the two mechs who smiled in spite of their obvious concern. 

"Be seeing you soon, Prowl," Sideswipe declared with a forced cheer as Sunstreaker marched resolutely from the room with only a furtive last glance back at Prowl. 

"You will," Prowl murmured over their three way comm before he cut the frequency. He found himself hoping that would indeed be the case as he slipped into the silent black of forced stasis.

****

Upon summoning the twins were perturbed to find they hadn't been the first. They entered the medbay to find Optimus himself and Jazz waiting, both of them talking to Wheeljack who was explaining the intricacies of the procedure. Jazz shot them an unreadable glance that made both mechs tense. Jazz had also been visiting Prowl in his downtime but the twins had never bumped into him as the special ops mech worked an erratic schedule. They had known the two mechs were friends but beyond that? No mech could really say. The look spoke volumes though and Sunstreaker couldn't help the very low subtle defensive growl that rumbled deep beneath his chassis. 

Sideswipe gave him a sidelong look and tugged him over to a more secluded part of the medbay out of the way to wait. They had told Prowl they would be there when he awoke and they weren't about to start going back on their word now. 

Jazz watched them with the focus of a hawk watching its prey. It was common knowledge throughout the base that Jazz had taken responsibility for the explosion that had resulted in Prowl's injuries. What Prowl felt on the matter the twins hadn't asked, it was none of their business. Fact was the explosion was planned it just happened sooner than expected. Nobody blamed Jazz apart from Jazz himself but the two frontliners certainly didn't like the sudden attention from the black and white. They honestly didn't care who approved or disapproved of their growing friendship with Prowl. If Prowl asked them to back off they would but not before. 

Jazz nodded to Optimus as the prime spoke and headed over to the twins. "Ratch' tells me you helped Prowl a lot during his time in here," he stated casually. 

"That a bad thing?" Sunstreaker responded tersely.

Jazz quirked a smirk at him and shook his helm, "relax, mech, I'm not here to pass judgement or ask you to steer clear of him. Truth is if you cared enough to visit him everyday to the point where he himself told me about it then I'm glad."

Sideswipe frowned slightly in confusion, "glad?"

"We all know Prowl gives off the impression of being cold and aloof and I'm sure you've come to know he's pretty much the opposite of how he comes across but most don't take the time to find that out or be there for him, 'cept myself, Blue and Smokes'."

"What are you getting at?" Sunstreaker asked quietly. 

"I just wanted to thank you and ask if you'd keep an optic on him while I'm gone?"

"Gone?"

Jazz shrugged nonchalantly, "got a mission will be off base a few weeks. It's going to be a rough ride of recovery for him and he's going to do his very best to keep it from everyone and anyone he can, even you two--"

"--but--"

Jazz held up his hand before they could interrupt. "It's just his way but I'll feel much better knowing you'll keep doing what you've been doing. Normally I'd bug him and keep him grounded but timing sucks..." He trailed off, gazing at the two mechs expectantly. 

"We planned on being around for him a lot more before you asked, that's not changed," Sideswipe replied with a small smile. 

"And we're not doing it because you asked, we're doing it because we want to," Sunstreaker added firmly. 

Jazz's face broke into a grin, "that's all I wanted to know," he clapped Sideswipe's arm amicably before turning towards the private room, "he's awake, I wanna see him before I go, but after Prime leaves Ratchet said you can go in, be seeing you, mechs." He threw them a grin and strolled towards Prowl's room, leaving both of them wondering just how close the two black and whites were. 

****

It was a while after Jazz left before the twins were allowed into Prowl's room. Prime had left not too long ago and Ratchet was currently engaged in a heated debate with Prowl. 

"And I'm telling you you're not ready, why do you always have to be so fraggin' stubborn and make things difficult?" Ratchet raised his arms in exasperation. 

"I have every faith in your work and I've been here long enough, I--"

"--I don't care whether you've been in here a few thousand vorns, your sensor net isn't fully integrated yet, do you want to have a catastrophic failure due to sensory overload because that's where you're headed!"

"What's going on?" Sunstreaker interrupted before Prowl could protest further, "everything alright?" He looked at Prowl with a frown. 

"Just shiny," Ratchet commented sarcastically, "except this glitch is insisting on going back to work, which is probably the dumbest thing he's ever come out with," he threw a glare at Prowl, still lying on the berth. 

"Ratchet, I do not think going to my quarters constitutes going to work and I don't see how it's going to be that detrimental to my systems, my sensor net--"

"--is not the Primus dammed medic and neither are you!" 

"How about we stay with you here tonight keep you distracted from the never ending fun that is the medbay and you can see how you feel in the morning?" Sideswipe suggested calmly, prompting every mech in the room to stare at him in astonishment. He shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably, "or not..." He murmured sheepishly. 

"Is that enough of a compromise for you, Ratchet?" Prowl asked, looking up at the irate medic. 

"Fine, I dread to think what this world is coming to when he," he gestured to Sideswipe, "speaks more fraggin' sense than you," he pointed a finger at Prowl, "that should tell you something," he declared hotly before marching from the room. 

Sunstreaker nudged his brother with a faint grin, "it was a good idea," he murmured, making his way over to Prowl. 

"A surprisingly logical idea coming from you," Prowl added with a small smile of his own. 

Sideswipe shrugged, "it happens sometimes," he grinned, "I promise world ending paradoxes won't happen."

Prowl raised an optic ridge and slowly pushed himself up to sitting with a wince. 

"Hey, you should be resting," Sunstreaker frowned even as he carefully helped him to sit up. 

"I need to stand, I've been lying down for weeks, please," Prowl replied, slowly swinging one leg off the berth and then the other. 

The twins stood on either side nervously wanting to help even as Prowl held up his hands to keep them at bay. Carefully pushing up to his feet, he paused for a moment as he found his balance. Taking a deep intake of air, he gingerly took a step forward. Having newly built doorwings was a process of relearning how to walk and regulating the increased sensory input so his sensor net wouldn't suffer a cascade failure. 

Taking another step he started feeling more confident and slowly walked to the doorway before turning and heading back to the berth a little quicker. Then suddenly the medbay doors opened causing the air pressure and temperature to shift in the room. Prowl found he couldn't compensate in time due to an information relay delay and he stumbled, falling to his knees as the twins rushed to help him. He tried to get up, pushing the twins away in frustration but the medbay doors slid closed and he gasped at the torrent of sensory feedback that suddenly assaulted his sensor net, which felt like it had recoiled in shock. 

His vision and audios died for only a moment as his sensor net tried to assimilate and adjust to the data but it was a moment of panic Prowl hadn't felt since the explosion and his processor helpfully supplied him with a memory purge of the event to remind him exactly what that had felt like.  

Prowl didn't register much after that, he was dizzy and disorientated, the memory of the pain made his tank lurch and his processor swim with shock. His doorwings flapped madly at the sensory memory and he barely registered trying to curl up on the floor as strong hands and arms wrapped around him, holding him tightly keeping him safe. He heard sounds of voices, angry, cursing, afraid but he couldn't make out what was being said. He felt hands touch his doorwings in a manner that his creator used to do in an attempt to comfort him when he'd been young but the additional sensory data forced his sensor net to shut down as a failsafe, protecting the rest of his systems and Prowl felt no more. 

When he came to he was lying back on the berth and the room was darker. Checking his chronometer he groaned softly, he'd been out for a couple of hours. Turning his helm, grimacing at the looming processor ache, he spied Sideswipe sat in the corner, reading a datapad. The red front liner glanced up at his groan and immediately headed over. 

"Hey, how you feeling?" He asked, his voice softer than Prowl ever remembered hearing from him. 

"Like I was hit by a starship," Prowl replied quietly, "what happened?"

"From what Ratchet told us, your sensor net had a data delay which caused you to have a memory purge which in turn made your sensor net shut down to protect itself from sensory overload, it's funny I never thought I'd use that word in a negative sense," he commented lightly. 

"Sunstreaker?"

Sideswipe pulled a face and gave Prowl a lopsided grin, "well you sorta threw up on him, so he's gone to the wash racks, he'll be back when he's pretty again."

"Oh Primus," Prowl murmured in embarrassment, his hand covering his face. "I'm sorry..."

"Hey..." Sideswipe gently lifted Prowl's hand from his face and smiled warmly at him, "we don't blame you, not your fault. Even Ratchet said your sensor net would have adjusted if it hadn't been for that delay and you wouldn't have had that purge," he smirked, "I think it's his way of giving you an indirect apology, but he said you might still experience purges though and you're to take it easy."

Prowl looked pained and met Sideswipe's gaze, "I threw up on Sunstreaker..." 

Sideswipe laughed, "of everything I just said you're worried about that?" He helped Prowl to sit up gently and shook his helm, "he'll get over it, any other time I would have laughed my aft off but you know I give him credit where it's due, he waited until Ratchet had checked you over before practically running to the wash racks," he grinned, "you're privileged."

****

Sunstreaker returned later that evening when Sideswipe had fallen into recharge beside the berth. Prowl had tried to wake him gently to no avail and had been watching him rest for some time, feeling rather unable to settle himself. 

"He recharges like the offline," Sunstreaker declared quietly from the doorway, after watching Prowl try to wake him before he slipped off his chair onto the floor. Heading over, Sunstreaker firmly but affectionately gave his brother a shove so he was no longer in danger of falling off and threw Prowl a faint grin. "There all better," his grin faded as he regarded Prowl with a faint frown, "you should be resting."

"I'm well aware of what I should be doing, thank you," Prowl replied a little more harshly than he'd intended. 

Sunstreaker's frown deepened to a scowl, "alright," he replied quietly, watching as Prowl sat up on the berth and rubbed his face with his hands. 

"I apologise, Sunstreaker, that was uncalled for," Prowl murmured, glancing at him contritely.

The front liner just shrugged and leaned against the berth with his arms folded, "no offense, Prowl but I'm sorta used to you barking at me."

Prowl's doorwings dropped slightly before he looked up at the mech and spied the faintest smirk being directed at him. "Still," he sighed, "it was undeserved, especially after..." He gestured sheepishly to Sunstreaker's plating. 

"What? After you threw up on me?" Sunstreaker actually laughed, "it's happened more times than you'd think, Sides' has never been able to handle his high grade," he smiled somewhat sympathetically at Prowl, "was new coming from you though and to tell the truth I was more worried about you than my plating."

"Me?" Prowl replied in surprise. 

"Sure, if you suddenly started being embarrassed around me it'd annoy the slag out of me," Sunstreaker chuckled, "prefer it when you're your usual blunt self," he smiled, "know where I stand. I like that."

Prowl smiled a little at that. "You didn't have to come back," he stated after a few quiet moments. 

Sunstreaker tilted his helm slightly, "why wouldn't I? Got nowhere else to be, might as well be here."

"You should be resting also," Prowl pointed out mildly. 

Shaking his helm, Sunstreaker chuckled, "I don't really rest much," he revealed casually. 

"Oh?" It was Prowl's turn to be intrigued, realising there was much he didn't actually know about the two mechs who had given up a lot of their time for him over the last few weeks.

"Yeah don't need to," Sunstreaker replied with a finality that prompted Prowl to change the subject yet still kept him wondering what haunted the mech to keep him from recharging. 

"Sideswipe enjoys his recharge though I take it?" Prowl glanced at the Red mech, sprawled haphazardly over a chair with his mouth lolling open. 

Sunstreaker snorted, "he'd recharge for a week if you let him."

"Heard that," Sideswipe mumbled, shifting to a more dignified position on the chair. 

"Were supposed to you glitch," Sunstreaker smirked and playfully kicked Sideswipe's foot. 

Smiling faintly at the brothers, Prowl shook his helm, "you know you both don't have to stay, I'm sure I'll be fine..." 

Sideswipe huffed air through his vents and folded his arms, "not going anywhere, better start getting used to it, copbot," he grinned faintly, optics still offline. 

****

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Hesitant Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //comm speak//
> 
> Thank you to ante_luce for beta'ing :3

The next morning found the twins alone in the medbay, sprawled on the chair and the floor. Sunstreaker woke first, jerking awake from a restless recharge. Frowning, he glanced around the room and huffed when he discovered Prowl was not with them. Stubborn mech must've checked himself out, he thought to himself. Standing, he nudged Sideswipe, who had taken to recharging on the floor, with his foot.

"Wha...?" Sideswipe mumbled as he started in surprise. "What is it?" He peered up at his brother.

"That pain in our skid plate checked himself out, how much you betting he's gone back to work?"

Sideswipe picked himself up and rubbed his face tiredly, "Ratchet would have his spark if he tried," he mumbled. It did concern him that Prowl hadn't told them and had left them recharging. It gave the impression that they'd outstayed their welcome. Scowling at that thought, Sideswipe huffed defiantly, "Let's go ask the doc," he stated, heading into the main medbay. Jazz had told them this would be what Prowl would try to do but Sideswipe was having none of it, he had never been one for getting hints.

Sunstreaker followed his brother, glad that he was being calm about things. Prowl was insufferably frustrating at times. Even before they'd gotten to know him better, they'd known that. It just bugged him this time. Had their efforts meant nothing to Prowl?

Ratchet was dealing with a patient so the twins hung back for a klik and waited until he'd finished. Glancing over his shoulder at them, Ratchet raised an optic ridge. "He left about an hour ago if that's why you're hovering, stubborn aft," he grumbled, tweaking the cables in Tracks' dislocated arm, causing the mech to flinch slightly.

"You let him leave?" Sunstreaker demanded.

Glaring at his tone, Ratchet shrugged. "He's as fine as he's going to be for now, might as well rest in his quarters."

"You know he's just going to go back to work," Sideswipe pointed out.

Ratchet growled softly and turned on the twins. "Then he goes back to work, nothing I have ever said to him will stop that mech from doing what he wants to do, so it's not my concern until he lands himself back in my medbay. You want to play nursemaid? Be my guest," he gestured to the door, "I have better things to do than torture myself trying to help that glitch. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a patient," Ratchet levelled a pointed look at the twins before turning back to Tracks, who was doing his best to remain unnoticed as he eavesdropped.

Sideswipe clicked in mild annoyance but headed for the door. Sunstreaker followed a few seconds after, only to be halted near the door when he heard Tracks talking to Ratchet.

"I can't honestly believe those two hellions want to help Prowl," he scoffed, "more like terrorise the mech like always. He's more likely to end up back here because of them you realise?"

"You got something to say, you pretentious slag heap? Why don't you say it to our faces?" Sunstreaker growled, clearing the distance between them and getting in Tracks' face when Ratchet ducked inside his office for something. "And since when have you ever given a frag about Prowl's well being?" He snarled, angrily.

"No matter how he acts, he is still a Praxian and an officer and he will require expert attention if he is to recover from such horrific injuries," Tracks looked Sunstreaker up and down with disdain, "do you even know how important doorwings are, how to tend to them, how they can addle the processor when they're damaged?" He let out a haughty snort of amusement, "Let's face it, Sunny, you and your hamfisted brother are ill equipped to be tending to a mech the likes of Prowl, even if he didn't have an iron rod firmly situated up his af--"

"--Why you stuck up- finish that insult, I fraggin' well dare you!" Sunstreaker grabbed Tracks' injured shoulder and dug his fingers into the exposed joint, eliciting a cry of pain from the mech. Sideswipe was by his side in an instant, grabbing his arm, holding his brother back as he raised his fist.

"He's not worth it, Sunny!"

"He insulted you!" Sunstreaker pulled against his brother, fist raised in front of Tracks' face as the mech whimpered and tried to pull his hand away from his injured arm.

"Doesn't matter, just leave it," Sideswipe urged earnestly.

Sunstreaker met his gaze, "he insulted Prowl," he growled dangerously.

Sideswipe's mouth pressed into a thin line as he shot a glance at Tracks, the urge to punch him rising. "Probably because Prowl would never lower his standards and take the likes of Tracks to his berth," he spat out, holding Tracks' mortified glare. "This is not helping us find him, Sunny... c'mon, if you punch him, Prowl's just gonna be pissed at you," Sideswipe lowered his voice, tugging his brother away.

"What the frag is going on here!?" Ratchet bellowed as he reappeared. "Sunstreaker, get your hands off my patient! You like the brig that much?" Ratchet clapped a hand on Sunstreaker's shoulder, his fingers curling into yellow plating in warning.

Sunstreaker snarled and relented, Shoving Tracks back onto his berth as he stepped back, shrugging Ratchet and his brother off him. "Not worth the paint damage anyway," he muttered sullenly, turning on his heel and marching for the door.

"What the frag was that about?" Ratchet demanded looking at Sideswipe.

"Ratchet, that mech is a dangerous menace, he needs to be locked up and as much as Prowl is a cold sparked glitch I wou--ooff!" Tracks was cut off mid sentence as a hard fist collided with his face and he was sent toppling backwards off the berth with a pained yelp.

//Ratchet to security! Red, my medbay now!// Ratchet yelled into the comm as he rushed to stop the red front liner from pummeling Tracks into the deck plating.

****

Sunstreaker pouted at his brother who was sitting dejectedly in the brig. “I thought you told me he wasn’t worth it?”

Sideswipe shrugged and sighed. “He insulted Prowl again and I just saw red,” he gave his brother a lopsided grin. “Makes a change huh? Me being in here instead of you?”

“Prowl’s going to be pissed,” Sunstreaker stated simply, “I’m surprised he hasn’t shown up yet, someone will have told him by now.”

Sideswipe pulled a face. “You should go find him, make sure he’s alright. He doesn’t need to be dealing with this slag right now.”

“You going to be alright?”

Snorting a laugh, Sideswipe gestured to the walls. “Not going anywhere.”

Sunstreaker nodded and shook his helm. “I’ll be back later then.” He threw a glare at the adjacent cell’s occupant and Tracks glared right back.

Huffing as they were left alone, Sideswipe flopped onto the small berth. He planned to recharge for the entirety of his time in the brig if he could get away with it.

“I don’t understand the delusion you and your brother share that Prowl is going to be remotely interested in your company.” Tracks spoke up haughtily from his cell.

Growling softly, his hands clenching into fists, Sideswipe glared up at the ceiling. “Tracks, shut the frag up if you know what’s good for you. Everyone knows about the pathetic little crush you have on Prowl and literally all of the command staff, so you tell me which of us is really delusional,” he growled out, turning his audios off before Tracks could reply and falling quickly into recharge before he got any more annoyed.

****

Sunstreaker hesitated before pinging the door. He never visited the officers' quarters and wasn't entirely sure his presence would be welcome. Receiving no answer to his first ping he tried again. He knew Prowl was in there, Teletraan had confirmed it, maybe he was in recharge? Sighing he turned to leave when the doors slid open.

"Sunstreaker?" Prowl looked at him in faint confusion, "what are you doing here?"

Frowning slightly, Sunstreaker gave a half shrug, feeling awkward all of a sudden. "Well you just kinda left this morning, wanted to make sure you were... you know, alright..." He trailed off, hating how it sounded. "You're obviously busy," he stated quickly in response to Prowl's momentary silence. "I'm sorry I bothered you," he internally cursed as he turned on his heel.

"No, wait, it's alright," Prowl held out a hand to stop him from leaving, "your concern is appreciated, just unexpected," he smiled faintly, "would you like to come in?"

Sunstreaker glanced past Prowl into his living quarters, feeling entirely out of his depth. Why was it awkward now? Something had changed but he couldn't figure out what, Sideswipe was better at this sort of thing. "Sure," he heard himself reply.

Inside Prowl's quarters, Sunstreaker hovered as he looked around the sparsely decorated room. It was typically Prowl. Neat, uncluttered, orderly. There was next to nothing in the way of personal effects which made Sunstreaker wonder what Prowl did in his off time. Did he even allow himself off time? His shared room with Sideswipe was full of junk they'd collected over the vorns and they weren't the tidiest of mechs.

"I know it's not much to look at," Prowl declared quietly, "but it suits me."

Sunstreaker turned and gave him a small smile. "It is very you," he teased gently.

Prowl raised an optic ridge as he smiled slightly at the tease. "About this morning, I'm sorry I left without saying anything I just--"

"--It's fine," Sunstreaker waved his hand dismissively and added with a grin, "we can tell when we're being told to take a hike."

Prowl's optics brightened. "That's not it at all, I--"

"--Prowl, I was kidding,"

"Oh..."

Sunstreaker tilted his helm as he watched Prowl's doorwings drop ever so subtly on his back. "Do they mean anything?" He blurted out, tumbling over his words, "I mean do you communicate through them?"

Prowl looked at him blankly for a moment before glancing at his left doorwing. "Oh, my door wings," he reset them back to neutral once aware of their position, frowning a little at himself, he normally had much more control over how expressive they were being. "Of a fashion, yes," he explained, "more expression of feelings than anything more tangible."

Sunstreaker nodded absently, strangely fascinated by these doorwings which he'd never really registered before beyond them being a Praxian trait. He couldn't help but wonder if they were responsive to other types of stimuli. Given what had happened in the medbay he definitely would assume, yes. It made him want to touch. Knowing now how important they were he opted for not doing at this present moment in time but he wasn't ruling out a friendly request. "So... um... Sides' is in the brig," he stated suddenly. He watched the doorwings shoot up on Prowl's back, flaring out almost. Interesting.

"What? Why?"

Sunstreaker shrugged. "He sorta punched Tracks in the medbay after telling me not to. When I say punched, I mean battered him into the medbay floor of course," he explained calmly, quite used to explaining to someone when Sideswipe was in the brig, though never to Prowl before now.

Prowl frowned in confused bemusement. "Sideswipe attacked Tracks? You were going to? For what reason?"

Sunstreaker shrugged and flopped onto Prowl's modest sofa, leaning his helm back with a huff of air through his vents. "Tracks was being his typical aft like self, you know how he is," he replied carefully, making sure not to mention they'd actually defended Prowl. His presence didn't need to be any more awkward than it was. "Tracks got locked up too."

Prowl frowned and sat down on the sofa slowly, carefully as though it wouldn't be there if he sat down too quickly. "I'm sure Jazz will fill me in," he commented absently.

Frowning, Sunstreaker canted his helm at Prowl slightly. "Jazz isn't on base though... I thought he told you?"

Optics brightening slightly, Prowl said nothing for a few kliks, he felt suddenly so distracted, on edge. "Yes, of course...I'll undoubtedly hear from Red Alert soon then."

Watching him closely, Sunstreaker noted how tense he was and how his doorwings were quivering subtly on his back. "Yeah, probably, he was typically freaking out about the situation," he replied lightly, deciding that a change of topic might help Prowl relax. "Not that you should be working yet, right?" He added with a smirk.

Prowl hummed softly in reply, not really paying attention, from what Sunstreaker could tell. For Prowl that was odd. The mech always paid attention, even if he looked bored. "Prowl...?" His faceplates creased into a frown when Prowl didn't answer. He seemed miles away and his doorwings were quivering more noticeably this time. Sitting up, he carefully reached out and brushed his fingertips along the nearest edge of the mech’s left doorwing, hoping to get his attention.

Prowl inhaled sharply and shot up from the seat, whirling around to face Sunstreaker with an unreadable, almost angry expression on his face as the golden mech recoiled quickly.

"Why did you touch me?"

"Whoa... Prowl," Sunstreaker got to his feet, and hesitated when Prowl took a couple of unsteady steps back. He held up his hands, non-threateningly, concerned by his reaction. "I was just trying to get your attention, you zoned out on me for a bit there..."

"I did...?"

"Yeah," Sunstreaker frowned and took a tentative step towards him, holding out his hand, "Prowl, are you alright?"

Prowl looked confused for a moment. To Sunstreaker he looked like he was in two minds about whether to run from him or attack him. "I'm fine," came the curt reply.

"Don't seem fine to me... I may be just a grunt but I'm not blind, and you're acting very not fine, for you," he took another careful step forward and very lightly placed his hand on Prowl's arm. He felt the mech physically stiffen at the contact and the doorwings were now obviously trembling.

"Sunstreaker..." Prowl started, before frowning and shaking his helm.

"Tell me what's wrong," Sunstreaker urged gently.

Intakes hitched, Prowl shook his helm. "I don't know... I can't shake the feeling of unease, like I'm going to be attacked..."

"Prowl, I'm definitely not going to attack you."

"I know!" Prowl retorted sharply, pinching his nasal bridge, "I know," his voice softened a little, "I keep getting flashes of the battle, it's throwing my senses, it's unpredictable, my doorwings keep getting phantom signals, warning me of danger or freezing like they're not there and Skywarp is going to...to....Oh Primus, it's happening again..." His voice trailed off with a panicked whisper as he held his helm.

Sunstreaker wasn't really sure what to do, he was completely out of his depth. He frowned, recognising the signs of an impending panic attack. When he and Sideswipe had been younger, Sideswipe had gotten them frequently, caused by abandonment issues which only worsened when they'd had to fend for themselves and the violence of looming war had gotten more intense. Sunstreaker acted on impulse as he felt Prowl try to curl away from him in panic. Wrapping his arms about him securely but not so tightly that he felt trapped, he hugged Prowl close to his chest and murmured quietly into his audio that he was safe, that nobody was going to hurt him, that the danger had passed.

Resisting at first in blind panic, Prowl tried repeatedly to forcefully push Sunstreaker away. The mech didn't yield and just repeated his words, his hands slowly running up and down his back. Images of the battle, the memory of the agony assaulted his processor and he was unable to focus. He heard his own voice cry out helplessly, with real fear. Feelings of shame and humiliation rushed through him and in his confusion and disorientation, he renewed his struggle to escape, to hide. When he felt Sunstreaker place a strong hand between the hinges of his doorwings and just hold him, Prowl felt the panic begin to subside. The conflicting sensations from his doorwings eased and he sagged wearily into the larger mech's embrace, thoughts of impropriety lurking at the back of his processor.

They stood like that for a few long moments in the middle of Prowl's quarters. Finally, once he felt steady enough, Prowl straightened and regained some of his composure. "I'm alright... For the moment," he murmured, the edge of his voice wavering slightly.

Sunstreaker relaxed his embrace and pulled away slightly. He paused as their optics met, their faces closer than he'd been expecting and suddenly he was very aware of the heat of Prowl's frame pressed flush to his own. The brightness of his optics. The curve of his lip components. "If I overstepped... I'm sor--"

"--you didn't," Prowl replied quickly, too quickly, cutting him off. "... I'm sorry you had to see th--..."

"--don't be," Sunstreaker answered softly, his optics roaming over Prowl's face. "Just want to make sure you're okay..." He added, vaguely aware that Prowl had angled his helm slightly towards him and his intakes had stalled.

Testing the waters, he leant a fraction closer his lips parting ever so slightly, his optics searching Prowl's face for any sign of reluctance. His spark pulsed hard when Prowl held his searching gaze and seemed to be in two minds himself. Before he fully realised it, his mouth was on Prowl's, kissing him fully. Their lips pressed, locked together as his glossa shyly brushed over Prowl's, eliciting the softest of moans from the Praxian in his arms.

The sound brought reality rushing back for Sunstreaker and he reeled back as if slapped, recoiling from Prowl, breaking the kiss with a gasp, his optics flaring brightly. What in Primus' name was he doing?! He had completely fragged up and misjudged the situation, he knew any chance of friendship with Prowl would be doomed after this. That wasn't even taking into account the mech's penchant for the regulations and all the emotional slag he had to be going through. He was such an idiot! He pulled away from Prowl sharply, his optics locking with Prowl's which were also bright with astonishment. "Frag... I'm so sorry....Prowl I.... frag..." Without waiting for a response, Sunstreaker practically fled from the other mech’s quarters, leaving Prowl staring after him in stunned silence.

****

Sideswipe grunted as he came out of recharge and was immediately aware that he had company. Glancing over at his brother slouched sullenly in a chair outside his cell, he pulled a face in confusion. "Didn't know I'd done something that warranted guard duty." He smirked, the smile almost immediately fading when Sunstreaker just huffed through his vents. Pushing himself up on the berth, Sideswipe leaned back against the wall and folded his arms. "Alright, I give..." He sighed. "What's up?"

Sunstreaker glared at the wall and pursed his lip components. He didn't answer for a few moments. Sideswipe gave up and was in the process of lying back down to resume his recharge when he finally opened his mouth. "I fragged up..."

Sideswipe frowned and turned to look at him expectantly, waiting for him to explain as he knew Sunstreaker would.

"Did what you said, went to see Prowl, check on him, make sure he was okay..."

"Doesn't sound so bad." Sideswipe smiled a little, settling on his berth.

"He had some sort of panic attack."

Now that got Sideswipe's attention. His optics onlined and he frowned at his brother. "You stayed, helped him?"

Sunstreaker shrugged. "Did what I could, don't know how much help I was though."

Waving his hand dismissively, Sideswipe shook his helm at his brother's mild insecurities. "I'm sure he appreciated the effort. Don't worry, Sunny I don't think you'd have fragged up just by being there and helping calm him down."

They were silent for a long few moments and Sideswipe was on the verge of recharge when Sunstreaker spoke again, so softly that Sideswipe was positive he hadn't heard right. "You did what? Speak up, Sunny! It sounds like you're saying you kissed Prowl," Sideswipe sniggered with amusement at the mixup.

"I did. I kissed Prowl."

"You what? Seriously?" Sideswipe sat up and stared intently at his brother, he could always tell if he was trying to pull a fast one.

Sunstreaker only nodded seriously and held his gaze.

"Frag, Sunny... I leave you alone for half a day," he shook his helm in disbelief, before pinning him with a curious look. "How was he?"

"Sideswipe!"

"What I'm just curious!"

"This is serious! I fragged up!" Sunstreaker started pacing outside his cell. "If Prowl doesn't kill me then you can bet your life that Jazz will when he finds out."

"It's probably not that serious, mech," Sideswipe tried to placate his brother.

"Not that serious?!" Sunstreaker stared at his twin, "Are you kidding me? I kissed, Prowl, by the book, never breaks regulations, second in command to Prime, Prowl! I'm slagged is what it is!"

Sideswipe was bemused and gave his brother a sympathetic look. "Don't you think you're overreacting just a tad? I mean he's Prowl, not Primus and unless he's been dead for the majority of the time we've known him, I'm pretty sure he's been kissed before and life ending consequences didn't occur."

Sunstreaker scowled and folded his arms, "You're not taking this seriously."

"Like frag I'm not! Just being more realistic than you at the moment. What's gotten into you, Sunny? Not like you to get worked up over a kiss."

Sunstreaker's scowl deepened and he tore his gaze away from his brother to glare at the floor.

"Ohh slag," Sideswipe's optics brightened and he stood up, walking to the front of his cell, his voice quiet. "You actually like him...like, really like him..."

"So?" Sunstreaker retorted  petulantly, "You do too and don't deny it, I saw it the last time we merged."

Shrugging nonchalantly and smirking at his brother, Sideswipe canted his helm in amusement. "Yeah but the difference being, I didn't go ahead and kiss anybody," he chuckled and headed back to his berth as Sunstreaker slumped into his chair, "That's all on you, brother," Sideswipe finished cheerfully.

"Unhelpful fragger..."

****

Prowl whimpered in his recharge, hands clutching at the soft padding of his berth. His intakes hitched and a low whisper of 'no' escaped his lips. In his processor he was reliving the battle over and over. It had been his own error, he had miscalculated, mechs could have died. Then the pain hit. He arched sharply on the berth with a holler, his doorwings twitching uncontrollably. The jolt brought him out of recharge mid memory purge so he was still disorientated and suffering from latent pain all over his back. His doorwings hadn't yet fully synced with his sensor net and the delay in sensations was both confusing and terrifying as his processor kept feeding him flashes of the battle. Of any battle he'd suffered injury in. Pushing out of his berth, he tried to stand only for his doorwings to over compensate and the resulting imbalance sending him to his knees. He was dizzy, in pain and completely helpless until it passed. He felt the first wave of real pain creeping through his systems and braced himself. He arched, sobbing out his agony as his fingers dug into the floor. He wasn't ready for the second wave. It slammed into him without mercy, whiting out his senses, sending Prowl reeling into black.

Coming to he found himself on his side, curled up on the floor. Onlining his optics he groaned at the sight that greeted him. He had purged again then had passed out. It hadn't been long since so a very small part of him was gratified there was fractional improvement. Getting to his feet slowly, he unsteadily managed to clean up the mess and himself. He couldn't recharge and he had no inclination to sit in his dark quarters on his own. It wasn't company he wanted, just a need to be somewhere else.

Once he felt steady enough he headed to the rec room. Thankfully it was late so there weren't many bots about. Grabbing himself some mid grade, he sat in a chair at the corner of the rec room and took a sip of his energon. His systems gratefully accepted the fuel. After purging he had been severely depleted and once the energon suffused through his body he started to feel a little better.

That was until a certain mech entered the rec room, followed by his brother.

****

Sideswipe almost walked straight into the back of his brother as he stopped suddenly upon entering the rec room. "What the frag?" He gave his brother a half annoyed look and followed his gaze. "Oh for Primus' sake, stop being a glitch and get some fuel," he shook his helm in mild disbelief at Sunstreaker's actions. Prowl was still the same Prowl as far as he was concerned, even if it was rare to see him in the rec room. Grabbing a cube and thrusting a second into Sunstreaker's hands, he threw him a sly grin, marched resolutely over to Prowl's table and sat down without hesitation before Sunstreaker could do more than just hiss his protests at him.

Pressing his mouth into a thin line, Sunstreaker had little choice but to join his brother. He would swear that sometimes Sideswipe just got a kick out of winding him up. Sitting down slowly he stole a furtive look at Prowl, who was watching them quietly, helm canted slightly in that way he did when he was puzzled by something. He also looked tired which immediately made Sunstreaker frown.

"Prowl, you left without saying goodbye yesterday," Sideswipe began cheerfully, "I'm hurt," he added with feigned injury.

Prowl merely raised an optic ridge as he regarded Sideswipe coolly. "Sideswipe, you managed to get yourself locked up barely an hour after I'd been medically discharged," his mouth curved ever so slightly with amusement, "I'm not entirely sure whether to be exasperated or impressed."

Sideswipe pouted and glanced at his brother. "Ray of sunshine told you, huh?"

"Mmhmm." Prowl hummed in reply, sipping his energon.

"It was for a good cause," he grinned, sitting back in his chair, downing a mouthful of energon. "You did tell him it was for a good cause didn't you, Sunny?"

Sunstreaker gave him a dark look before grunting in acknowledgement. "Sure, good cause."

"Good cause or not, I hope you manage to keep him and yourself out of trouble." Prowl answered, casting a sidelong glance at Sunstreaker who was determined to stare a hole into the table.

Sideswipe watched their stiff interaction, noticing Prowl's doorwings twitch slightly when Sunstreaker failed to respond to him. Giving his brother a swift kick to the foot, he huffed air through his vents before leaning forward on the table. "For Primus' sake anyone would think you were a pair of mechlings who'd never kissed before, knock this awkward slag off," he spoke quietly, keeping his voice discreet. "Seriously it's crazy, you kissed, it's not like you fragged him in front of the entire population of the Ark, Sunny, and Prowl you fraggin' well should know better than letting slag like this affect how you interact with someone," he sat back and took a swig of energon, "Just quit it before I have to bang your heads together," he huffed with slight annoyance.

"Anyone ever tell you you're a pain in the aft, Sides'?" Sunstreaker spoke up after a few long uncomfortable moments.

Prowl smirked subtly into his cube, glancing between them.

"Every fraggin' day," Sideswipe retorted, "and you'd still prefer my company over any other glitch so stop pretending you don't love it," he snorted as his brother met his smirk with a subtle, grateful one of his own.

Once the situation was put into perspective,  the tension broke between them and it was much easier to just talk to Prowl about the rest of their day following Sideswipe’s release.

It was all going swimmingly until Sideswipe broached the subject on both their processors. Why was Prowl lurking in the rec room at such a late hour?

Frowning slightly, Prowl shook his helm and swallowed a gulp of energon. "I was having difficulty recharging," he said finally.

"Like bad memory purge, pain or discomfort difficulty or just can't switch off?" Sideswipe prompted.

Prowl pulled a face slightly, "I keep getting erroneous feedback from my doorwings, it is... disconcerting..." He answered somewhat vaguely.

“You purge again?" Sunstreaker asked bluntly.

"Sunny!" Sideswipe backhanded his brother's arm, giving him a dirty look.

"What? He's clearly not telling us everything," he looked at Prowl intently, "are you?"

"Well... I... um..."

"Look, Prowl, I get that this must be hard for you but we only want to know because we care." Sunstreaker explained with a frown. "Sides' and I got through some pretty bad slag together because we had each other to count on, it doesn't have to be embarrassing, we don't want you to feel uncomfortable with us but we do care and we do want to help. Like it or not," he finished tersely, sitting back in his seat, taking a hard swig of his energon.

Prowl wasn't really sure what to say to that. Reliance on anybody wasn't something that came to him easily. He would deal with it, could deal with it, just as he had everything else in his life. "I do appreciate your concern," he started, tone guarded, "but I will be fine, my sensor net is just taking time to adjust, I'll be back at work in a few days and everything will be back to normal. Please don't worry..." He trailed off, glancing between them as he finished his cube. "I should go. Rest, it's late," giving them a nod, Prowl excused himself without further ado, leaving the twins staring at the table.

"Smooth..." Sideswipe stated dryly after a short while sat in silence.

"Yeah..." Sunstreaker replied sullenly, pursing his lip components in irritation.

There wasn't any point in saying anything else, Sideswipe had made his point. Pushing out of his seat he placed a hand on Sunstreaker's shoulder and gave it the faintest of squeezes before he too called it a night.

Alone with his thoughts, Sunstreaker huffed air through his vents in a heavy sigh. "Frag..."

****

Sideswipe left it a couple of days before approaching Prowl. Just as expected the mech was seen in his office not a day after he had been released from the medbay. He wasn’t surprised. The next day though he decided to tackle the situation head on. Strolling to Prowl’s office, he paused as Cliffjumper walked past, just as he was about to chime the door.

“Heh, in trouble already, huh?” The cocky minibot sniggered. “Didn’t take long.”

“What can I say? Mech just can’t get enough of me,” Sideswipe grinned deviously.

“Yeah right! That mech is as frigid as a drone,” Cliffjumper snorted and gave him a wave, “have fun getting your aft handed to you.”

Sideswipe glowered at the retreating minibot’s back and slapped the door ping. He frowned when there wasn’t an immediate answer and pinged the door again. No answer. Odd. Glancing around, Sideswipe pulled out a codebreaker from his subspace and after checking with Teletraan who was in Prowl’s office, making sure it was just Prowl - it wouldn’t look great if he hacked into a private meeting or even a liaison, (the latter thought making Sideswipe somewhat jealous), - he went to work on hacking the lock.

The door beeped and slid open after a short while and Sideswipe quickly stepped inside as the door slid shut and locked behind him. “Prowl?” He frowned at the mech sat at his desk with his helm in his hands. Reaching out he lightly touched Prowl’s shoulder, withdrawing quickly when Prowl jumped in surprise and stared up at him in bewilderment.

“Sideswipe? How did you get in here?” Prowl asked with a frown. “I thought I locked the door.”

“You did, but I pinged twice, didn’t you hear that or hear me come in?”

Optics dimming ever so slightly, Prowl gave a shake of his helm as he looked down at his desk. “No… I was busy…”

“Busy my aft!” Sideswipe retorted with a scowl. “You didn’t know I was here until I touched your shoulder.”

“Sideswipe, please. I don’t have time for this, I have work to do.” Prowl stood and began to usher a disgruntled Sideswipe towards the door.

“Prowl, would you just talk to me? I thought you considered me and Sunny friends,” he took a few steps backwards as Prowl tried to guide him towards the door.

“I do, but I have my duty and you should respect that.”

Sideswipe scowled as Prowl gently took his arm and guided him towards the door. “This isn’t about respect, you know I respect you and the work you do. You’re just too much of a stubborn aft to see when you need help. You’re not even supposed to be working!”

“You’re out of line.” Prowl snapped, doorwings rising on his back.

Sideswipe pulled a face and shook his helm in exasperation. “You know what? Fine. I only fraggin’ well came here to apologise for last night and to see how you are but frag this. If this is how you treat your friends, I’m not sure I want to be one,” he pulled his arm free of Prowl’s grasp without waiting for a response.

At the sudden movement jerking him forward, Prowl felt a wave of dizziness overcome him. His vision blanked out briefly as his sensor net tried to adjust, without the aid of his doorwings. He stumbled, blindly reaching out and grabbing the first thing he caught hold of to stop himself from falling.

“Whoa… hey, I got you,” Sideswipe spoke softly, catching hold of Prowl’s arm and immediately moving closer to support his weight as he fell into him. Curling an arm about his waist, Sideswipe held him carefully, painfully aware of their bodies being in contact. “Prowl?”

“I’m alright,” Prowl murmured quietly, finally glancing up at the red mech. “Just lost my balance for a moment… my doorwings froze.”

“Froze?” Sideswipe glanced at the now fluttering appendages and frowned slightly. “That happen a lot?”

“Only recently.”

Frowning, Sideswipe lightly ran a finger along the bottom edge of the nearest doorwing, his optics brightening in surprise when he heard a soft gasp. “I’m sorry, they hurt?”

Prowl shook his helm, tensing slightly. “Doesn’t hurt.”

“Oh,” Sideswipe uttered, repeating the motion. His intakes hitched slightly when Prowl’s optics dimmed and the mech sighed through his vents. “Helping?”

“Hmm,” Prowl hummed softly in reply. “You should probably let go now though,” he stated, placing a hand flat on Sideswipe’s chest.

“But it’s helping…”

“Sideswipe pl--”

“--Prowl… you don’t need to go through everything alone,” Sideswipe only lessened his hold slightly as he felt Prowl stiffen in his grasp, but he did not let go. “I’m your friend, let me help…?” He asked earnestly, holding Prowl’s gaze.

“I thought you didn’t want to be.”

“What?”

Prowl’s mouth curved slightly into a subtle smile. “My friend.”

Sideswipe smirked and shrugged. “Well you’re going to let me help now, right?”

Sighing, Prowl bowed his helm and gave him an almost imperceptible nod. “When you touched it, it eased the sensor feedback because it’s a constant sensation. It eases the stress on my sensor net which I’ve been unable to do as the connections are still reforming.”

“Feels good though too, right?”

“Sideswipe…”

“Alright, alright… A wing massage, I can do that, no problem.” Sideswipe smiled reassuringly. “Trust me and turn around.”

Prowl hesitated, looking uncomfortable for a moment. He finally relented and turned as requested. His doorwings involuntarily fluttered in anticipation. He hadn’t allowed anyone to touch them, even just for comfort, in a long time.

Sideswipe started slowly, thumbs pressing up the middle of his back between the hinges before slowly splaying out over the uneven surface of the interior of the doorwings. He rubbed in circles going outwards as he moved over the appendages and smiled when Prowl visibly relaxed, his shoulders sinking from their usual tensely held position. Running his fingertips along the edges, Sideswipe’s optics flickered when a soft moan escaped Prowl’s vocaliser. Thinking nothing of it, he drew closer and took hold of the left doorwing, with both hands either side. Starting from the hinge he moved along the entire length. His smile grew wider when Prowl shivered at the attention, his helm rocking back slightly in quiet enjoyment, his optics dim. Wing massages definitely felt good, Sideswipe concluded silently, moving over to the right doorwing to repeat the process.

Prowl onlined his optics and stifled another moan threatening to escape. The wariness of having Sideswipe stroke his doorwings was outweighed by just how good it felt. He could feel the tension seeping from his frame. “About last night…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sideswipe snerked cheerfully. “Sunny has the subtlety of an asteroid impact and the tact of a ‘con. Comes from a good place though.”

“I know, I’m the one who acted abruptly, he was only trying to help,” Prowl replied, looking down at the floor in thought.

“Nah, I get it,” Sideswipe responded, lightly running his fingers over the centre of both his doorwings’ exteriors. “I’d probably feel awkward at first too if it had been us that kissed,” he stated casually.

Prowl froze, causing Sideswipe to stop his caresses of his doorwings. “So, he did tell you?”

Frowning slightly at the back of Prowl’s helm, Sideswipe clicked in concern. “Well yeah, he’s my brother, he tells me most things. I’m not going to tell anyone if that’s what you’re worried about?” He spoke quietly, hoping to stop Prowl from undoing all his work in helping him relax. When Prowl fell quiet, Sideswipe waited a moment before resuming his ministrations over his wings, sighing at the heavy silence that now settled over them.

“I’m not ashamed of kissing him, if you’re wondering…” Prowl stated after a few long moments.

Sideswipe’s face broke into a soft smile. “I wasn’t. Know you’re not that sort of mech, Prowl,” he chuckled as he leaned closer to whisper in his audio, “and secretly you quite like us, even if you’ll never admit it.”

Prowl ducked his helm with faint embarrassment but smiled with mild relief that Sideswipe wasn’t making an issue out of it. “It’s just regulations…” he trailed off quietly.

“Yeah…” Sideswipe mused thoughtfully, tracing circles over the exterior of Prowl’s doorwings absently. “Shame really…”

“A shame?” Prowl canted his helm, turning to glance over his shoulder in curious confusion.

Sideswipe grinned shamelessly. “Yeah. Was a little jealous if I’m being honest.”

Prowl half turned to stare at him in astonishment and Sideswipe met his gaze steadfastly. “Sideswipe…”

“Alright… a lot jealous,” he added with a grin, letting his hand wander up over Prowl’s shoulder, circling the mount where his rocket launchers would normally be. At the noticeable hitch in Prowl’s intakes, Sideswipe decided to overstep his bounds and traced the curve of Prowl’s cheek, adding softly, seriously. “You can be forgiven for not realising how we feel… about you, given all the slag you’ve been going through recently but we do feel for you and unless you tell me to back off… I am going to kiss you…” Sideswipe watched him closely, noting the flicker of his optics and the rise and fall of his doorwings. Drawing closer, he smiled easily at him and cupped his face, fingers curling about his helm, tugging Prowl flush to him gently.

An internal battle was raging beneath Prowl’s calm surface, one between his own desires and his need to maintain control, adhere to his responsibilities as Sideswipe’s commanding officer. When the red mech’s thumb brushed lightly over his lips however, his desires won and he welcomed the tender kiss that quickly followed.


	3. Conclusions

Prowl inhaled deeply as their kiss lingered, Sideswipe’s glossa teasing at his own shyly. He was enjoying it until reality came rushing back. Breaking the kiss, Prowl pushed Sideswipe away abruptly. “Stop…” he breathed, a frown creasing his faceplates. “We can’t do this…”

Sideswipe’s mouth twisted in vague irritation. “Regulations can get fragged,” he stated, folding his arms defiantly.

“Not regulations,” Prowl replied with a shake of his helm, “well not just regulations… what about Sunstreaker?”

“Well he gets off shift soon, I can just comm him to join us,” Sideswipe laughed lightly, oblivious to Prowl’s astonished confusion.

“What? No. I meant I can’t, we can’t do this to him. I don’t want to be in the middle of something that could come between you both.” Prowl explained.

Sideswipe stared dumbfounded at the black and white for a moment before chuckling and rubbing the back of his helm. "I'm not sure how to put this but um, Sunny and I well we're sort of a package deal," he smirked at Prowl's equally speechless expression. 'Though it does help if we both like you, which doesn't happen as often as you think."

"And you both...?"

"Like you? Yeah," Sideswipe's smirk spread into a grin at Prowl's surprise, "we’ve always liked you, Prowl,” he added on a more sober note, daring a step closer. “You’ve never been intimidated by us or judged us for more than what you’ve seen for yourself. We might have kept you on your toes so to speak with the odd prank or two but we’ve always had your back, whether you were aware of it or not.”

“And now?” Prowl enquired quietly, meeting Sideswipe’s earnest gaze.

“Now… we decided to up the ante. We really just want to help, seeing what happened to you and how close we came to you not…” he cut himself off, looking away sharply for a moment. Bringing his gaze back to Prowl he gave him a wan smile. “You have control, Prowl, you always did. Just tell us to stop and we will((,)) but we won’t stop trying to help.”

Frowning, Prowl avoided Sideswipe’s gaze and shifted uncomfortably as he looked down at the floor with a shake of his helm. “I don’t know,” he murmured. Looking up at Sideswipe with a sigh, Prowl pressed his mouth into a thin line. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, Sideswipe…I’m sorry.”

Sideswipe nodded and took a step back. “It’s alright, you don’t like us that way…” he smiled thinly at Prowl. “Not going to be a problem.”

Prowl smiled faintly, sadly. “It’s not that I don’t like you… there’s a lot of reasons, none of which I wish to explain. I enjoy our friendship, my friendship with both of you, I’m not willing to jeopardize that.”

Sideswipe pulled a face, fighting not to show his disappointment. “No worries, Prowl, really,” he placed a hand on his arm and squeezed slightly. “You’ll comm us if you need anything?”

“I will.”

Exhaling slowly, Sideswipe gazed at Prowl searchingly for a moment before turning on his heel and marching resolutely out of his office.

****

Sunstreaker pulled a face as he stepped into his shared quarters. “Where the frag have you been? Were supposed to meet me in the rec’ room like two hours ago,” he demanded with a scowl.

Not bothering to move from his sprawled position over their sofa seat, Sideswipe grunted noncommittally. “Was busy.”

“You’re never busy,” Sunstreaker retorted, shoving his legs on the floor so he could sit down, ignoring his brother’s disgruntled growl.

“Frag you,” Sideswipe muttered sullenly, sinking into a pathetic slouch beside his brother.

“So…?”

“So what?”

“Where were you?” Sunstreaker smirked and playfully shoved his brother. “Who were you fraggin’?”

Sideswipe’s scowl deepened. “Nobody, unfortunately. Was with Prowl.”

“Prowl?” Sunstreaker stilled and frowned at his brother. “What did he want?”

“Wasn’t what he wanted,” Sideswipe shrugged and vented air loudly. “Long story short, he’s coping like smelted pit, we kissed and he rejected me… well us…” Offlining his optics in order to avoid looking at his brother, Sideswipe huffed. “Did it very diplomatically though. Typically Prowl…” he muttered glumly.

“Was it because of what I said in the rec’ room?” Sunstreaker finally asked quietly after processing what his brother had told him.

Giving his brother a thin, fond smile, Sideswipe shook his helm. “Nah… doesn’t want to risk our friendship and you know all that other regulation slag,” he waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t really want to talk about it. Frag it, Sunny, let’s just get wasted?”

Sunstreaker smirked and punched his brother’s arm before retrieving the high grade from their secret stash. “Best thing you’ve said all day.”

****

Sunstreaker grunted as he was roused from a high grade induced recharge. Onlining with a start, he peered at his brother’s chest from his position sprawled over him. He frowned wondering momentarily if he’d imagined the door ping. Then it pinged again, a sound irritating to his audio. “What the frag…” he grumbled, checking his chronometer. It was early, too early, 02:30 hours on their off day. The world had better be ending, he thought to himself as he slapped the door release. All angry thoughts evaporated when he was greeted with a very discomfited looking Prowl on the other side of the door. “Prowl… what?”

“I apologise, it’s late, I shouldn’t have come,” Prowl blurted out immediately, glancing furtively down the corridor but making no move to leave.

“You alright?” Sunstreaker asked, fighting past his hangover as his concern grew.

“Sunny! Who is it? What they want? Tell them to frag off and shut the fraggin’ door!” Sideswipe growled sleepily from inside the room.

Prowl grimaced, his doorwings twitching as he shifted uncomfortably. “I shouldn’t have come. I’m sorry,” he turned to leave only for Sunstreaker to catch his wrist. His grip wasn’t tight enough to hurt but enough to get Prowl’s attention.

Tugging gently, Sunstreaker held Prowl’s gaze as he gently pulled him into his and Sideswipe’s modest room, much to Sideswipe’s astonishment, causing him to bolt upright on the berth and smack his helm into the bunk above him. Closing the door behind him, Sunstreaker turned and regarded Prowl with sharp scrutiny. “What happened?” He asked softly but firmly.

Looking between them embarrassment evident on his face, Prowl frowned and focused his gaze anywhere in the room but on them. “Another memory purge. I couldn’t recharge,” he stated tersely. “Was going to the rec room but,” his doorwings fluttered, “it wasn’t where I wanted to be…”

“You… wanna talk about it?” Sideswipe spoke up, rubbing his sore helm and feeling more than a little awkward.

Prowl shook his helm quickly, his frown deepening. “I’m sorry I woke you… all seems quite ridiculous now.”

Sunstreaker snorted and glanced at his brother who nodded knowingly at him. “Not ridiculous, Prowl. Everybody needs somebody sometime. Even you. Bad purge, huh?”

Sighing softly, Prowl met his gaze. “The worst.”

Without really thinking about it, Sunstreaker cleared the distance between them and gathered Prowl into his arms. Wrapping him in a secure embrace he held him close.

Prowl was reluctant and resisted at first but when Sunstreaker showed no signs of letting go, he sank into it, weary and emotionally out of his depth. This sort of trauma he’d never personally had to deal with before. The recovery combined with the lack of recharge plus the unpredictable panic attacks and memory purges had rendered him almost non-functional. He was at his wit’s end.

Sunstreaker gave his brother a weak, tired smile when Prowl finally relaxed in his arms. He’d come to them, he probably would have gone to Jazz were he on base but he wasn’t and Prowl had chosen to come to them.

****

Prowl awoke with a start. He found himself entangled in a mass of limbs on a berth that was only really designed for one large individual. Shifting slightly he felt an arm curl about his waist tighter and Sideswipe mumbled incoherently in his audio. Lifting his helm slightly, Prowl glanced at the two mechs still in recharge on either side of him and exhaled softly letting his helm drop back against the berth. There was no way he could effectively wriggle out of this situation without creating an even more awkward one. He really didn’t want that and so he lay there, staring up at the top bunk blankly.

Sideswipe hummed as he slowly came online, his arm curling about the warm frame beside him. He loved getting over charged with Sunny. Normally it would result in them fragging each other senseless but not always. It did however always lead to snuggling in his berth which Sideswipe very much enjoyed waking up to. Onlining his optics his smile instantly faded when he was greeted with black and white plating instead of gold. Stilling he stared for a moment as he recalled the previous night. There were some obvious disadvantages to getting so overcharged he couldn't remember what had actually happened. He had thought Prowl arriving had been some sort of overcharged dream and had promptly forgotten they had talked with him and persuaded him to recharge with them. It all came rushing back with stark clarity, even the impromptu wing massage.

Sideswipe exhaled softly, remembering how their cuddling had devolved into light petting and how Prowl had asked them not to stop when it had devolved further into heavier petting. Sideswipe was certain that had Prowl not been so exhausted that he'd fallen into recharge between them, they would have seen him overload from the near constant caresses on his plating.

He shifted slightly and made to gently move his arm away when Prowl’s quiet voice stopped him.

“Are you online, Sideswipe?”

Busted, Sideswipe offlined his optics a moment. Then he shifted to meet Prowl’s light azure optics gazing across at him and offered him a friendly smile. “Hey, how’d you rest?”

“Better than I have been doing recently, thank you,” Prowl replied with a soft murmur. “I shouldn’t have put you both in this position, I’m so--”

Sideswipe stopped him by placing his fingers lightly over his lips. “Stop apologising. We’re big mechs and more than capable of putting ourselves in this position,” he gave Prowl a lop sided grin, “didn’t see us asking you to leave did you?”

“But I--”

“--No, Prowl… no buts…” Sideswipe admonished quietly, strangely empowered by the fact that it was him telling Prowl and not the other way around. Then again, Prowl was currently lying in their berth with both him and his brother, more surrealistic things had happened of late so he wasn’t too taken aback by the role reversal. “This doesn’t need to be awkward,” he added softly gazing at Prowl, his finger absently tracing circles over his midriff.

Prowl held his gaze for a long, quiet moment before sighing. “I think I’ve changed my mind,” he stated finally, startling Sideswipe who had since drifted off into light recharge.

Peering at him with confusion, Sideswipe shook his helm. “About what?”

“About… this...you… us…” Prowl looked away, only to be faced with Sunstreaker, his face slack in recharge.

Sideswipe wasn’t quite sure he’d heard correctly and pushed himself up on his elbow. “You mean… you think our friendship is worth risking?”

Prowl’s helm snapped back to stare at him. “No of course not… I merely believe our friendship is stronger than if intima--”

“--Prowl, I was teasing you,” Sideswipe interrupted with a sheepish smile. “But now…” he chuckled at Prowl’s resulting frown and subsequent pout, “I’m going to have to do something about all this frowning,” he grinned devilishly as he leaned over Prowl, not giving him chance to say anything more as he pressed a tender kiss to his pout, smiling into it when Prowl tentatively reciprocated.

Sunstreaker stirred and his optics lighted dimly. He raised an optic ridge at the sight that greeted him and his mouth curved into a small smirk. “I leave you alone for five minutes.”

Prowl broke the kiss with a gasp, optics bright as he turned to look at Sunstreaker. “I didn’t know you were awake…”

“Evidently.” Sunstreaker’s smirk widened at Prowl’s ensuing embarrassment and Sideswipe’s chuckled, ‘I did.’ Moving closer, he cupped Prowl’s cheek with one hand and brushed his lips over Prowl’s, enjoying the way his intakes hitched at the contact. “My turn,” he murmured huskily, closing the distance between them.

Prowl let out a soft moan into the kiss, returning it in kind which made Sunstreaker’s smile grow. “This is most unusual,” he murmured gazing up at them once the kiss broke.

Sideswipe chuckled and shook his helm, grabbing a helm fin of Sunstreaker’s and promptly tugging him into a heated kiss above Prowl. He smiled at his brother as they parted and glanced at Prowl whose optics were unmistakably brighter. “Typical morning for us,” he grinned.

Prowl’s intakes stalled when their attentions turned to him and he couldn’t help the soft moan escaping his parted lips as the twins bestowed kisses over his doorwings, moving across their smooth surface to mouth and playfully bite either side of his throat.

Sunstreaker paused and looked at Prowl in earnest. “You need to stop you tell us straight, okay?”

Prowl curled a hand about his helm and pulled him down for another kiss, his glossa shyly slipping into his mouth. Pulling away slightly he gave Sunstreaker a small, soft smile. “Okay,” he replied.

The twins wasted no time, their touches although gentle were very deliberate and soon Prowl was arching up against them, writhing on their berth with quiet, needy moans and whimpers. He tried not to think about the ramifications of duty and regulations. He would deal with that later, right now he wanted this, wanted them. Just knowing they had been there had helped ease his troubled processor and had allowed him to recharge. He couldn’t explain it. Perhaps it was due to the time they had spent with him in the medbay when he’d been at his most vulnerable, or perhaps it was the knowledge that they wanted him in this way. Whatever it was, Prowl could finally forget about the constant dull ache in his doorwings as they slowly integrated into the rest of his systems and forget the battle that had eviscerated them in the first place. He wanted to just exist in and enjoy the moment, if only for a little while.

The twins were no strangers to having a third mech in their berth. Whenever they brought someone to their quarters it was usually after a battle or after a party and they did it for relief of tension or because they were overcharged. This was new. They liked Prowl, respected him and unmistakably cared for him in a way he would normally deem inappropriate. They didn’t want to frag this up by pushing him too much, as far as they were concerned, Prowl was in full control.

Sideswipe met his brother’s optics and smiled over Prowl and then shifted suddenly to kneel between Prowl’s legs, his hands running up his frame slowly. Moaning quietly, Prowl shivered and watched the red mech as his hands slipped lower, massaging his thighs, thumbs teasing the seam of his panel. He wasn’t ready to go that far just yet but the stimulation was definitely enjoyable. His doorwings fluttered against the berth as Sunstreaker continued to mouth over them, licking along seams, nipping the fine edges playfully, while his hands caressed his bumper, slipping beneath to tease hidden cabling.

Prowl couldn’t do anything other than lie there and writhe, his sensor net alive with sensations, his field flaring at the tactile pleasure. Their touches were gentle, teasing but insistent and virtually constant. They knew exactly where to stroke, how firmly to press or where to lick and Prowl was having a hard time keeping it together. His cooling fans whined as he panted and his core temperature rocketed with his arousal. He hadn’t been touched this way in so long and his doorwings were still so sensitive, it wasn’t long before his sensor net was rippling with excessive data, creating a feedback through his systems and he couldn’t take anymore.

The twins watched in awe, optics bright, as Prowl arched with a sharp cry suddenly. His hands clutched at the berth as he shuddered, helm rolling back as his optics flickered and went dark. Panting heavily, he sagged back down onto the berth,mewling quietly as his overload ebbed from his frame. Glancing at his brother, Sunstreaker shared a smug smile with him, pleased that they had driven Prowl to a satisfying conclusion with only their hands and mouths. Prowl overloading was quite the sight. One he certainly wouldn’t mind seeing again.

****

Prowl was troubled. Recently that was nothing new. Now, as well as dealing with his issues recovering from his injuries, he was worried about where he stood with the twins. After the morning in their berth, he’d been called away by Prime before things could escalate. He felt both guilty and confused. Did they want him to reciprocate? That was a stupid question, he knew that. What did this mean for them now? What exactly did the twins want from him? He pinged Prime’s office and waited, pushing the thoughts to the back of his processor, there was a time and a place for such things.

Optimus looked up as his door opened and he smiled at his second, his battle mask retracted. “Prowl, it’s good to see you out and about.”

“Thank you, Sir, I am relieved to be out of the medbay,” Prowl replied, stepping into the office and standing before Prime’s desk.

Optimus leant back in his chair. “It’s Optimus when you’re not on duty, Prowl, you know this. Please have a seat,” he gestured to the chair opposite.

Prowl hesitated for a second before sitting, remaining on edge. He was too distracted for pleasantries which wasn’t like him at all. He’d known Optimus long enough to consider him a trusted friend. “What is it you wish to see me about, Optimus?”

Optimus chuckled. “Straight to the point. Glad to see some things never change,” he smiled at the smaller mech, noting how stiff and on edge he seemed. Leaning forward onto his desk, he interlaced his fingers and his smile faded. “We nearly lost you,” he stated simply, observing the minute doorwing flick. “How are you feeling?”

“I’ve been better,” Prowl replied honestly after considering his words carefully. “I should be ready to return to work soon though,” he added resolutely.

Optimus frowned slightly. “That is not why I called you in here. I have been worried about you, my friend.” He regarded Prowl for a quiet moment before continuing. “Ratchet tells me your injuries nearly put you into a permanent stasis lock, your spark nearly guttered on him once from the shock.”

Prowl frowned a little and clasped his hands in his lap. “I’m sorry, Optimus, I fail to see what this has to do with my returning to work. I am--”

“--Prowl, you are the only one on base with the skills to single handedly direct a battle. None of my mechs are expendable but if we lost you then we would have a severe disadvantage. I’m not asking you to return to work straight away, in fact I wish to alter your role slightly,” Optimus explained, stopping Prowl before he could insist on returning to work that day.

“Sir, if this is because of the explosion. It was meant to happen, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time but it won’t happen again, I will b--”

“--why are you jumping to the conclusion that this is a punishment for you?” Optimus asked his friend softly. “The incident has been investigated and against my wishes, Jazz has taken full responsibility for the premature explosion.”

“What? No, he shouldn’t, he was just following my orders, he warned me that it could be premature I--” Prowl stopped himself when Optimus held up a hand silently.

“It’s already been done and the investigation closed,” he replied, canting his helm at his second in command. “I also refused to punish him for it too, it was an accident, Prowl. Something which neither you nor him seem capable of accepting,” he sighed. “I don’t know why my officers have this compulsion to blame themselves and insist upon punishment. If I punished all of you when you asked for it, the majority of my command staff would be in the brig on a semi permanent basis!” he shook his helm, pinching his nasal bridge. “It is not about blame, it is seeing what we can do to prevent it happening again, that is our priority. That is why I’m altering your job scope ever so slightly and why Jazz is currently off base.”

Prowl regarded his commander in mild confusion and waited for him to continue as he knew he would.

“Jazz is currently on a training mission,” Optimus stated, handing a datapad to Prowl. “He is training a hand picked selection of mechs who have applied for the new position that I have created.”

Looking through the datapad, Prowl’s frown deepened considerably. “This isn’t necessary,” he looked up at Optimus concern evident in his optics.

The red and blue mech shifted in his seat and circled his desk to perch in front of Prowl. The fact that Prowl was so visibly distressed by this spoke volumes of his current condition. The mech was usually much more calm and composed even when faced with unexpected situations. “Prowl this is not a reflection on your abilities or the effort you put into your work. You are excellent at what you do but we need a back up. This is not your replacement this will be your second in command. I think the last few weeks have indicated we do need a back up tactician in case you’re ever incapacitated again.”

Prowl relaxed a fraction, meeting his leader’s gaze. “Will I be able to choose the final candidate myself?”

Optimus smiled and squeezed Prowl’s shoulder. “I was counting on it.”

****

Prowl returned to his own quarters in a mild daze. Optimus had informed him he would not be returning to work straight away and his tone had made sure Prowl knew it was an order without the Prime having to say so directly. Once Jazz returned he would be helping with the training and assessment of viable candidates while he was still on light duties. Prowl could see the logic in his plan, it made a lot of sense to have a back up, he was not indestructible after all but right now all he could think about was what had transpired in the twins’ quarters. His quarters felt cold and dark although he knew it was all in his head. He frowned at the stain on the floor that he had neglected to clean and immediately gathered his cleaning solutions. He had been in such a state the night he’d ended up in their quarters he hadn’t even cleaned up the waste from his tank purge. He felt shame and embarrassment well up in his spark. It was unfair to drag the twins into his problems in such a way when he knew he was being irrational. Scrubbing the floor with a venom born of his frustration at his slow recovery, Prowl decided that it would be best if he forgot his liaison with the twins had ever happened. He hoped, knowing what he did from their reputations, that they would too.

After scrubbing his floor furiously and failing to remove all of the stain, Prowl threw his cleaning brush on the floor in an uncharacteristic display of frustration and stomped over to his berth. He lay down and stared up at the ceiling unable to stop the swirling thoughts of self deprecation and shame going round and round in his processor.

The rest of his week and early into the next continued on with the same edgy frustration. He couldn’t recharge because of the purges and when he moved unconsciously his doorwings had a tendency to trap him in a sensory feedback. He had only needed to call Ratchet once and the medic had been surprisingly gentle with him. That only meant that it had been worse than Prowl had first thought and Ratchet had insisted on monitoring his condition for a while after that. He had been allowed on light duty. Light being paperwork, administration work, nothing too strenuous. Whenever he tried to take on more, he was overruled by both Prime and Ratchet. It felt almost like a betrayal. Since that ‘incident’ with the twins he had opted to avoid them entirely. He knew it was unfair and it only added to his sour mood and distracted demeanour. His mood had become gradually darker as the days progressed, to the point where even Prime had backed off when he’d tried to order Prowl to rest and the tactician had virtually snarled in disobedience at him.

It was after one such argument with Ratchet outside the tactical office he found himself in his quarters. The discussion had rapidly grown heated and had escalated to a full blown argument which had drawn the attention of the majority of the off duty shift. He had stormed back to his quarters after Ratchet had held firm and Bumblebee - ever the peace keeper - had tried to intervene and placate him and Prowl had verbally bitten his head clean off. Exhaustion and emotional stress finally forced him to his berth and he had crashed almost as soon as he’d laid down.

He awoke some time later. Quite a long time later, he had slept the entire day away and it was now very early the next morning. He was unsure when he’d fallen into recharge and astonished he had been so exhausted. He listened to the sound of an insistent pinging on his door. He considered ignoring it for a long moment but eventually pushed himself up off the berth and headed to the door. Two pairs of concerned bright optics looked back at him from the dark corridor.

“Sideswipe, Sunstreaker…are you aware of the time?”

Sunstreaker glanced at his brother and folded his arms. “Told you he’d be like this,” he glared at Prowl. “What the frag are you playing at?”

“I beg your pardon?” Prowl was immediately on the defensive.

Sideswipe quickly stepped between them and reached out to lightly touch Prowl’s arm, his optics glowing softly at him. “Can we come in? We want to speak with you.”

Prowl met his gaze, his optics icy cold, seeing only pity looking back at him. “Why? What is so important that you feel the need to come to my quarters at 03:30 hours?”

Venting air loudly in exasperation, Sideswipe’s optics flickered and shared a glance with his brother. “Because if you don’t talk to somebody, you’re going to end up confined to your quarters with only Ratchet checking in on you on a daily basis. You prefer that?”

Prowl searched Sideswipe’s optics for any sign of deception. He wouldn’t joke about something that serious. Had his behaviour really been that bad? Didn’t they understand what he was going through. His doorwings dropped slightly on his back when his processor fed him the most logical answer. Of course they didn’t understand. How could anyone understand when he’d isolated himself and refused to discuss anything that he was going through. Not even with the two mechs who had put themselves out on a limb to be around him, to keep him company when he’d been in the medbay.

“Come on, Sides’, he’s not going to budge, guess we were wrong about him,” Sunstreaker uttered, tugging his brother away from the door.

“Wait…” Prowl spoke up softly, sidestepping in the doorway to give them room and invited them in with a hesitant gesture.

Not wishing to test whether he would change his mind, Sideswipe ducked inside his quarters immediately. Sunstreaker followed soon after, his expression unreadable as he shot Prowl a curt glance. They stood awkwardly in the spacious room for a few moments nobody wanting to speak first. Prowl lowered his gaze and sighed. “I have not been myself,” he finally declared quietly.

Sunstreaker snorted ungainly and flopped into the nearby sofa. “Finally the genius returns, about fraggin’ time,” he retorted impatiently.

“Sunny…” Sideswipe chastised gently with a slight frown. Taking a step closer to Prowl, he took hold of his hand and prompted him to look up at him with a finger under his chin. “It’s not like you to run and hide,” he replied gently. “The Prowl I know would tackle this head on by any means at his disposal if it meant he would recover and subsequently return to work faster,” he smiled fondly, letting it fade as Prowl’s optics dimmed. “Where’s that Prowl gone?”

Averting his gaze, Prowl shook his helm, his posture visibly wilting. “I recharged for a whole day but I’m still so exhausted.”

Sunstreaker was out of his seat and standing beside his brother with his hand on Prowl’s shoulder before Prowl had even registered he’d moved. He felt blind without the extra sensory data from his doorwings. “Talk to us. We’re here, we’ve been saying this from the beginning,

“There isn’t much to say,” Prowl replied simply.

“Then tell us what you need?” Sideswipe answered, a hand lightly brushing over the smooth plane of a doorwing.

Prowl allowed his optics to dim at the contact and felt his doorwing pressing into Sideswipe’s featherlight caress. What he wanted was his life back. What he needed was a distraction, comfort and the twins were there in his quarters offering it to him.

“Prowl…?”

He curled his fingers into red and gold chest plating, tugging them closer, his unspoken request written all over his face, clear in his bright searching optics.

The twins shared a glance and Sideswipe gave a minute shake of his helm. Curling a hand about Prowl’s helm, forcing him to meet his gaze, Sunstreaker spoke in earnest. “You need to say it…” he cast a furtive look at his brother, “tell us what you want, we don’t want any misunderstanding.”

Prowl knew he’d already lost his internal struggle to push the twins away. “Stay…” he whispered softly.

****

The twins were true to their word and never put Prowl in an uncomfortable position. Most of the time spent with Prowl consisted of recharging with him, helping him through any panic attack which were becoming less frequent and the occasional tactile overload. Whatever it was they were doing the twins weren’t pushing. On occasion their tactile touches and intentions had been more geared towards interfacing but Prowl still wasn’t ready. Though he never said outright, they could tell. They didn’t complain though, they were glad Prowl was finally coming to them, talking to them and had in his improvement been permitted to carry out light duties and train his newly chosen subordinate.

So it came as a surprise to them when Prowl unexpectedly invited them to his quarters over their private comm. channel one evening. It had been a few days since Ratchet had cleared Prowl as medically fit to return to normal duty and Prowl had lessened his contact with the twins. They had been worried it would happen but had also half expected it. It didn’t mean they were happy about the situation though. That being said, when Prowl comm’d them they had no inclination to refuse, both of them worrying that he could be suffering another memory purge or panic attack. They were few and far between now and ended quickly but they still left Prowl reeling.

“He’s not invited us here in a while,” Sideswipe commented as they stood outside Prowl’s quarters.

Sunstreaker shrugged, “we knew it would happen, knew this wasn’t going to be anything for him.”

Sideswipe pinged the door and waited, choosing not to respond to his brother, he still hoped Prowl would want them in his life in the way they wanted to be in it.

The door opened and Prowl greeted them with a small smile. His doorwings quivered slightly on his back as they gazed at him questioningly.”Thank you for coming.”

“What do you want, Prowl?” Sunstreaker asked, no longer in the mood for pretending this was something it wasn’t.

Prowl regarded him with an apologetic smile and ducked his helm. “I want you… both of you,” he looked between them. “And not just to recharge with me or to comfort me but to be with me, exclusively.”

Sideswipe gaped, Sunstreaker let out a burst of static in surprise. Nobody had ever asked that of them before. There were few mechs who saw past the good looking exterior and deadly fists to want more. Prowl’s doorwings twitched, the only sign that he was nervous and his anxiety was growing. Prowl had known of his growing attraction to the twins and had fought it off for as long as he could but now he’d reached a crossroads. He had more or less recovered and he wanted more, he was ready for more and if they could accept his simplest of terms, then they could accept him.

The silence ran on longer than Prowl had anticipated and he frowned slightly, attempting to hide his escalating disappointment. “If neither of you want this then please just tell me now. It will not damage our friendship or our professional interactions.”

Sunstreaker started to laugh, much to Prowl’s confusion and his doorwings flicked up as hurt radiated through his spark. Sunstreaker had a reputation for being callous but he hadn’t put much stock in it. Not until that very moment.

“Sunstreaker, I don’t really think laughing is an appropriate respo--ompff!” Prowl’s words were cut off as the golden mech closed the distance between them and pinned Prowl to the wall with a fierce, demanding kiss.

Sideswipe chuckled as Prowl mewled in astonishment and then enjoyment as he reciprocated with equal fervour, the fierceness giving over to more tender affection as Sunstreaker deepened the kiss.

Sideswipe ran his fingers over a helm fin gently, eliciting a whine from Sunstreaker as he broke the kiss to tilt his helm towards the light touches. "My turn," Sideswipe purred into his brother's audio. He cupped Prowl's face and kissed him fully on the mouth, enjoying how Prowl's glossa met his and how he could taste his own brother on his lips.

The situation quickly devolved into something more carnal, each mech finally letting his repressed desires surface. Prowl wasted no time in tugging them both to his berth room and kissing them again as they reached his berth. His optics were dark and wanton when he gazed at them.

Sunstreaker was swept up in the moment, Prowl's hands seemed to reach all the right places, revving his engine. Sharing a look with his brother they grinned at each other and he moved around to stand between Prowl's doorwings as Sideswipe pressed flush to the Praxian's front. Trapping him between them, Sunstreaker began to molest the tantalising doorwings on either side of him, thoroughly enjoying the way Prowl moaned and the appendages fluttered in response to his touches.

Quashing his feelings of nervousness at the escalating situation, Prowl arched into Sideswipe as his hands found a particularly sensitive bunch of cabling beneath his bumper. His helm rocked back as the red mech began to mouth and lick at his throat as though he were the tastiest goody he’d ever eaten. Prowl was not one to be a bystander now that he was fully prepared for what he was getting himself in for and raked his hands down Sideswipe’s front even as Sunstreaker playfully bit the edge of a doorwing, eliciting a soft cry from his vocaliser, almost drowned out by the sounds of Sideswipe’s lust-filled growl.

The scraping of metal against metal and murmured pleasure filled the room. They didn’t need words, not after so long pussy-footing around each other. The twins had been clear about what they wanted and Prowl, although grateful they’d never pushed him or taken advantage of his fragile state during recovery - it would have been very easy to just succumb to their advances had they been more vocal and insistent about it but he would have regretted starting anything that serious under those circumstances - was now prepared to give them what they and what he wanted.

Sunstreaker splayed his hands over Prowl’s back and let his thumbs press into the hinges of his doorwings as the ran down the curve of his backstruts slowly. He smirked when a sharp keen escaped from Prowl’s parted lips and he arched sharply, gasping when Sideswipe chose that moment to rake his fingertips up over Prowl’s panel.

At the combined and contrasting sensations rippling through him simultaneously, Prowl’s panel slid open and he could only inhale sharply when Sideswipe immediately slipped a digit into his valve, gently massaging the mesh lining, sending shivers of tingling pleasure rushing through him. His hands gripped Sideswipe tightly and his hips rocked into his hand, helped by Sunstreaker grinding up against his aft. Prowl couldn’t suppress the whimper that escaped him when he felt both the twins’ panels opening and their components pressed against him, their bodies grinding languidly against his, causing his desire and want to spike.

Pressing closer, Sideswipe curled a hand about his brother’s helm and kissed him deeply, humming into it. Pulling away he grinned at Prowl’s darkened, aroused optics and he sat back on the berth, parting his legs and taking Prowl’s hand to tug him down with him, prompting him to crawl over his frame, letting him settle between his thighs, their components rubbing together. Slipping a hand between them, Sideswipe stroked Prowl’s spike, not needing to encourage it too much for it to be fully erect. He gave Prowl a sly grin as he glanced down and rocked his hips up to meet Prowl’s. “Don’t keep me waiting, cop bot,” he teased. “Been waiting too long to feel you inside me.”

Prowl whined softly as Sideswipe continued to caress his spike. Taking hold of his hand, he pinned it to the berth along with the other and carefully lined up their components before sinking into the hot space between his legs with a low moan of pleasure. He felt his spike being squeezed as he rocked his hips, pushing himself deeper. Sideswipe’s valve was tight and hot and given the needy sounds the red mech was making and the screwed up look of pleasure on his face, Prowl realised he probably hadn’t been spiked in a while. This surprised him, he would have pegged Sunstreaker for a mech who preferred spiking.

Sideswipe writhed and pulled against Prowl’s hands holding him down. His intakes panted as Prowl pulled almost all the way out before sliding slowly back in, sending waves of pleasure rippling through his sensor net, his valve quivering about its invader.

Prowl repeated the motion, relishing the feel of Sideswipe wrapped around him. He’d almost forgotten about Sunstreaker until he felt a warm frame press up against his back. The larger mech kissed his way up his back and over his doorwings, before draping himself over Prowl easily. His larger frame forced Prowl deeper into Sideswipe, dragging a wanton keen from the red mech beneath him. He felt Sunstreaker’s mouth against his audio and was thoroughly distracted by his mouth and glossa so that when he felt a hard spike pushing into his valve slowly he was surprised enough to let out a high pitched whine as his valve was stretched about the invading spike.

Sunstreaker moved slowly, complimenting his long, deep thrusts into Prowl with playful kisses and licks of his throat. With a free hand he caressed Prowl’s doorwings, loving the whimpers it caused. Prowl was a tight fit about his spike and he gradually built up his pace so that he wouldn’t cause any pain or damage. The moment was both surreal and exhilarating. Having Prowl sandwiched between them, moaning out their names was a personal fantasy he had never in a million vorns thought would happen. He was going to enjoy every single klik of it.

Prowl dropped his helm into the crook of Sideswipe’s neck in an attempt to muffle his cries of pleasure as Sunstreaker picked up his pace and slammed the head of his spike deep into his valve, over and over, hitting that deepest sensor node at the topmost part of his valve which sent his sensor net into conniptions. His spike stretched him almost to the point of pain and his valve throbbed and ached about him, sensations soon lost in the haze of pleasure swimming through his sensor net. With each increasingly eager thrust of Sunstreaker, he rocked harder and faster into Sideswipe, driven by his brother until their bodies moved as one with the golden twin’s thrusts, their moans and heady cries filling the room.

Sideswipe could only lie back and enjoy the moment as Prowl’s spike was buried as deep as was possible into his valve. The mech felt wonderful and with Sunstreaker’s more vigorous thrusts he climbed closer to his climax, his optics flickering as pleasure and energy rippled through him, tearing louder and louder cries from his O shaped mouth before he roared out his overload. His valve clamped down on Prowl’s spike, squeezing it hard, driving Prowl into his own overload with a sharp staticky cry as he stiffened against him, emptying his spike into Sideswipe’s slick valve in several short bursts.

Sunstreaker continued to thrust hard and fast, panting harshly as he held onto Prowl. He was fast approaching his overload and came with a gasp and a grunt, biting down on the edge of Prowl’s doorwing. His spike jerked within the slick heat of Prowl’s valve, ejecting its hot contents, quickly filling the tight space, eliciting a high keen from the Praxian as he overloaded a second time. Sunstreaker held onto the black and white frame when Prowl arched back, his doorwings fluttering madly before they both sagged over Sideswipe completely strutless and sated with needy whimpers.

Sprawled on Prowl’s berth, bathing in the afterglow of their overloads the twins glanced at each other over Prowl. The Praxian had fallen into recharge between them, not bothering to untangle himself from their embrace.”He looks peaceful,” Sideswipe whispered softly.

Sunstreaker nodded, his optics glowing dimly. “I think it’ll be a while before he will be though.”

“Yeah but he’s got us to help him through it. Even though he is one stubborn aft,” Sideswipe lightly ran his fingers down Prowl’s face.

“Our stubborn aft,” Sunstreaker reminded his brother with a grin, curling about Prowl, settling between his doorwings carefully and leaning over to kiss Sideswipe tenderly on the lips. “Best get some rest, probably have to convince him of this all over again tomorrow,” he chuckled softly. Gazing at Prowl he pressed a soft kiss to the nearest doorwing smiling when the appendage fluttered slightly at his touch and settled into recharge with Prowl’s smaller frame pulled up flush against his front.

“If convincing him involves this every time, I’m not going to complain,” Sideswipe added with a chuckle. Sunstreaker snickered softly in response before slipping offline. Sideswipe smiled and kissed Prowl’s chevron. Curling a leg over Prowl’s and draping an arm over his middle he relaxed and quickly went into recharge, failing to notice the soft knowing smile gracing Prowl’s features as he listened to them talk.

He felt content snuggled between the twins, who were better known for their aggressive fighting and incessant prankings than their affection. He truly relaxed for the first time in a long time, he knew there would be bad moments, he wasn’t completely recovered mentally from the trauma. The twins had been a rock for him to hold onto when he had lost all control and he had absolutely no intentions of giving up his position tangled between them anytime soon.

 


End file.
